Of the nearly 500 Comanche county men in the service, no two have had the same experience, yet each is doing his part to form a smooth running war machine which will help grind the Axis into oblivion. Some serve in Italy, others in England, while some are doing special work or receiving special training in the United States. Meantime others serve in India, in the South or the Central Pacific or on the ocean.Among those from this county assigned to special duty in the Central Pacific is Pharmacists Mate Second Class Charles A. England and a brother of Mrs. Francis Coles of Coldwater and of Mrs. Maxine Herd of Protection. He is stationed in the Navy hospital on the Island of Phau, the principal island among the Hawaiian group and is in the Pearl Harbor area.
The hospitals, dispensaries and sick bays at Pearl Harbor are to the Navy personnel what the Navy yard, dry docks, repair shops and repair ships are to surface, submarine and aircraft carriers in the South and Southwest Pacific. Without the facilities of both groups the striking power and effectiveness of the Navy against the Japs would be reduced 50% or more.
Charles, who was a farm youth, born and reared in this county, attended the Coldwater schools and went in strong for athletics. He helped his father in farming and cattle raising, having an interest in one of the finest Hereford cow herds in the county, the calves of which always commanded a premium on the market. But Charles wanted to do things mechanical so went to the west coast and after graduating from high school there, was among the first from this county to secure schooling for special work in airplane factories. He became an inspector on the final assembly line in airplane factories in California and in Wichita.
Like many red-blooded American youths, that stab in the back by the sinking Japs made him plenty sore and he "joined up" to help show them they couldn't get away with it. He was sworn into the Navy on April 14, 1942 and was sent to the San Diego, Calif., naval base for his boot training.
He was then assigned to a hospital corps training school as it was discovered that he had always been interested in medicine and pharmacy work. There he listened to lectures eight hours a day, taking notes, then had to recopy all notes. In this school there was no flunking as studying was compulsory. He liked his work and learned a great deal.
On completion of the course he was sent to Bremerton, Wash., and remained there until August 28, 1942, when he was sent overseas. His work consists of all sorts of duties pertaining to hospital work such as assisting doctors on all operations laboratory work, First Aid, X-ray work, dressing wounds and other things which help make a hospital operate smoothly.
Charles says that it is a privilege to learn the many things taught him in his thorough Navy training. He has made a good record, having had five ratings and four advancements in 20 months. He is thankful a thousand times that he came in as an enlisted man, instead of as an officer, as he was about to do.
Charles is a member of a Navy softball team and enjoys whamming the ball when his time comes around. He is over six feet tall in his sock feet and now weighs over 200 pounds. He says the Navy dishes out good chow and their Christmas dinner last year was a meal long to be remembered.
His wife, the former Mary Lou Carter of Coldwater, and their two and a half year old son, Sidney Diane England, live in Wichita with Mrs. England's parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Carter. Mrs. England is helping out the war effort too, by working as an expediter at the Boeing factory in that city. Her husband, who has been overseas nearly two years, is hoping to get a furlough home this summer.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!
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